After sitting idle for over four decades, Utah’s Velvet-Wood uranium mine just got the green light to roar back to life. The Interior Department approved the project in May 2025, and they didn’t waste time – just 14 days for the whole evaluation. That’s government efficiency for you.
This isn’t some random hole in the ground. Velvet-Wood churned out 4 million pounds of uranium and 5 million pounds of vanadium between 1979 and 1984. The Lisbon Valley district where it sits? That place produced nearly 78 million pounds of uranium over four decades. Real numbers, not projections.
Secretary Doug Burgum’s calling it vital for national security. Makes sense when you consider uranium powers nuclear subs, produces tritium for weapons, and keeps civilian reactors humming. The vanadium’s no joke either – it goes into fighter jets. Anfield Energy, which bought the mine from Uranium One back in 2015, is sitting on measured and indicated resources of 4.6 million pounds of uranium. Not bad.
The old infrastructure‘s still there, including a 3,500-foot decline that drops straight to the ore body. They’re not starting from scratch, which means production could happen sooner rather than later. Anfield’s also advancing their nearby Shootaring Canyon mill to process the ore once extraction begins. San Juan County gets jobs, the U.S. gets essential minerals, and everyone pretends they’re shocked when a uranium mine actually helps national security.
Here’s the thing about uranium mining – it’s not exactly trendy. But when push comes to shove, those medical technologies and naval submarines need fuel. Foreign dependency on essential minerals? That’s been working out great lately. The project includes site restoration plans, though expedited environmental reviews in 14 days might raise some eyebrows. The new operation will disturb just three acres of land, including existing impacts from the old mine site.
The numbers tell the story: 400,000 tons of ore processed back in the day, grades averaging 0.46% uranium and 0.64% vanadium. Current inferred resources show 552,000 pounds of uranium plus 7.3 million pounds of vanadium waiting underground.
This secluded corner of Utah is about to get busy again. Whether that’s progress or not depends on who’s asking.
References
- https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-department-approves-utah-uranium-vanadium-mine-strengthen-us-mineral
- https://world-nuclear-news.org/articles/utah-uranium-project-fast-tracked-under-us-emergency-procedures
- https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-expedites-permitting-critical-energy-project-address-national-energy
- https://www.deseret.com/utah/2025/05/12/mining-utah-uranium-jets/
- https://anfieldenergy.com/project/velvet-wood/
